On December 6, 2022, the government adopted the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations, which will allow Riga Eastern clinical University hospital (RECU) to start work on the establishment of the Latvian cancer Centre, which will be financed from the Recovery and Resilience Facility *.
The aim is to ensure uniform methodological guidance in the field of oncology, which includes:
The establishment and preparation of the Latvian cancer Centre for accreditation, as well as the establishment of a network of co-operation between hospitals specialising in the treatment and care of oncological patients;
the establishment and implementation of uniform pathways for oncological patients for specific types of tumours in accordance with standards established by the European Organisation of cancer Institutes;
development of guidelines for the development of oncology infrastructure in cancer treatment and care institutions.
The rules, adopted on Tuesday, set the conditions for receiving support from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The total amount of aid will be EUR 500 000 (VAT EUR 574 760) and the beneficiary will be RECU. It is planned that methodological guidance in the field of oncology should be provided by August 2026, while the cancer Centre should be established and guidelines for oncological care infrastructure adopted by August 2025.
The Latvian cancer Centre will be established on THE basis of RECU, but in co-operation with hospitals throughout Latvia that perform oncological patient care, it is planned to ensure methodological management: establish common guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and dynamic monitoring of oncological diseases; develop patient pathways, algorithms, quality criteria and common standards for the care of oncological patients; development of quality requirements for medical treatment institutions and persons who ensure the treatment of oncological patients, including conducting clinical audits, it is planned to develop a mapping for the receipt of oncological services. The aim is to promote international cooperation.
Oncology in the health sector has been identified as one of the priorities of the health sector. It is concluded that it requires systemic changes and the establishment of a quality management system, ensuring methodological management and the establishment of a competence centre. Improving comprehensive treatment and care infrastructure for cancer patients is also essential for Latvia to be part of the EU's overall network of cancer centres in the future.
It has already been reported that last year the European Commission presented a European cancer Plan, including the creation of an EU-level cancer knowledge Centre, to coordinate initiatives to achieve a fuller understanding of cancer, optimise diagnosis and treatment, support the quality of life of all cancer-related people and ensure equal access to the above across Europe. Member States are invited, to the extent possible, to make use of the possibilities to implement the measures contained in the European cancer Action Plan through the mechanisms, support and investments offered by the EU. According to the recommendations, Latvia has also started the creation of a cancer centre, thus ensuring better integrated and comprehensive cancer care and preventing unequal access to quality care and medicinal products. The establishment of the Latvian cancer Centre is also foreseen by the Plan for improvement of Health care services in the field of oncology for 2022-2024.
* Cabinet Regulation “Implementing provisions for the “ensure methodological guidance in oncology” milestone “ensure methodological guidance in the field of oncology” of the reform of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility Plan 4.1.1. “sustainability and resilience of a human-centred, comprehensive, integrated healthcare system””
** the Recovery and Resilience Facility is a new budget programme set up as a coordinated response from the European Union to the COVID-19 crisis. The Recovery and Resilience Facility aims to mitigate the long-term social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and to support reforms and investments linked to the transition of EU Member States to the green and digital economies.
